Tanduay plant ordered shut down after fire

SAN PEDRO, Laguna, Philippines — Authorities have ordered the “temporary shutdown” of Tanduay Distillers Inc.’s plant in Cabuyao, Laguna, following reports that its water discharges had triggered a fish kill in Laguna de Bay. The plant actually burned down last October 15.

The Laguna Lake Development Authority (LLDA) issued an ex-parte cease-and-desist order that was to have taken effect on Wednesday, saying “prima facie evidence exists that the waste water discharges from your distillery plant are of immediate threat to life, public health, safety, or welfare to animals or plant life, as it has indeed caused fish kill within the nearby Laguna de Bay.”

“It’s actually two different orders. The cease-and-desist means the company should stop operations until the order is lifted, while the ex-parte means they have to present an explanation to us,” said LLDA information officer Gerry Carandang in a telephone interview on Thursday.

He said a meeting was set between the lake authority and the company on November 2.

The fish kill in an area of the lake off Barangay Caingin, Sta. Rosa City, which is a neighbor to Cabuyao, occurred three days after a big fire razed Tanduay’s distillery in Barangay Sala on October 15.

The LLDA’s initial investigation found that “the fish kill incident is being attributed to the water discharges with alcoholic odor traced from the manhole of Tanduay Distillers Inc. plant… towards the outfall leading to Cabuyao river and down to the Laguna de Bay.”

“We are still uncertain if the discharge was done on purpose or not,” Carandang said, but the lake authority has also required the company to clean and rehabilitate the whole stretch of the lake tributary from Barangay Sala to the lake.

He said LLDA field personnel, who were supposed to conduct an inspection, were denied entry to the company’s premises on October 19.

On October 22, the investigators, although allowed to enter the compound, were not allowed to inspect the plant as it was “cordoned off” by the Bureau of Fire.

The Cabuyao Bureau of Fire has yet to conclude its investigation into the fire.

“At stake here are the company’s clearance (to operate) and discharge permit (issued by the LLDA),” Carandang said.

Tanduay Distillers Inc., located inside the compound of its sister company, the Asia Brewery Inc., has a permit that expires in 2012.

The Inquirer tried to seek comment from the company, but administrative staff Jona del Valle said no one in authority was available for an interview, since the liquor plant stopped its operations when the fire broke out. –Maricar Cinco, Philippine Daily Inquirer